Yandy Diaz started an early comeback with a two-run homer to spoil Luis Gil’s season debut and spark the Tampa Bay Rays to a 5-3 victory over the New York Yankees on Friday night in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Seeking more production from an inconsistent lineup, Rays manager Kevin Cash moved Diaz to the cleanup spot after he batted .362 out of the leadoff spot in their first 12 games. Cash also elevated Chandler Simpson to the leadoff spot ahead of Junior Caminero.

Diaz batted cleanup for the first time since Sept. 14, 2024, and drove Gil’s 0-1 slider to right field for a tying two-run homer immediately after Steven Matz (3-0) allowed two runs in the top of the first.

Simpson drove in a pair of runs with a groundout in the second and a single in the sixth. Jonathan Aranda added an RBI groundout after Simpson’s single followed New York reliever Brent Headrick’s fielding error.

Aaron Judge singled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Cody Bellinger while Giancarlo Stanton scored from first on a triple by Amed Rosario that skipped past Simpson in left field. Ben Rice hit a pinch-hit homer with one out in the eighth that center fielder Cedric Mullins nearly robbed with a leap at the wall.

Gil waited until Friday to make his season debut because the Yankees did not need a fifth starter with four off-days through their first 12 games. The right-hander allowed three runs on three hits in four innings, but needed 88 pitches while walking three and striking out two.

The Yankees lost their third straight game and fourth in five games after winning eight of their first nine.

Matz allowed two runs on two hits in five innings. The left-hander struck out seven, walked two and did not allow a hit after the first.

Hunter Bigge struck out Bellinger to end the eighth after Rice connected. Bryan Baker entered to start the ninth and allowed two singles to put the tying runs on base with nobody out, but he retired Jazz Chisholm, Randal Grichuk and Trent Grisham to earn his second save.

–Field Level Media